The Press: Vanishing History

The historically-minded reader who thumbs through the bound volumes of
old newspapers in any big public library will generally find issues of
a century or more ago in good condition. As he passes the 18705, when
woodpulp began to replace costly rag paper, the pages turn yellow and
brittle. Papers of the Spanish American War period will crumble at a
touch, for then pulp print was at its worst. Later volumes are in
fairly good state of preservation but they, too, will gradually
disintegrate with age.